Around this time last year, news outlets blared alarming headlines: Breathing the air outside was as bad as smoking several cigarettes. Wildfire haze blotted out the sun and turned the moon orange. Weather apps simply listed the forecast as “smoke.”

Just because this summer has been clear, though, doesn’t mean that the environment is doing just fine.

While smoke from wildfires might be climate change’s most obvious impact in Washington, other threats still loom. Some predicted health effects include heatstroke, dehydration, worsened pollen allergies and increased cancer risk. And while local scientists have a plan to fix it, they say they are concerned that no one is carrying it out.

Read the entire story at the Seattle Times and related stories at the Centralia Chronicle, King 5, and Rock Hill Herald. Dr. Kristie Ebi, professor of Global Health, is quoted in all stories. Listen to Dr. Ebi speak about this topic and more on Spokane Public Radio.